<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Farewell Advice by SekiaSweet</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28374702">Farewell Advice</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SekiaSweet/pseuds/SekiaSweet'>SekiaSweet</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Anchored to the Past [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Book: Swords and Shields - Varric Tethras, Cassandra is leaving, Cullen Smut, Cullenlingus (Dragon Age), F/M, Fluff, Friendly advice, Never Written Smut, Smut, Solas's Frescoes, The Plot Thickens, Wicked Grace, farewell party, sex quirk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:02:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,400</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28374702</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SekiaSweet/pseuds/SekiaSweet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Cassandra gives Briseis some advice the night before she leaves for Orlais</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Female Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford, Female Lavellan &amp; Cassandra Pentaghast, Female Lavellan &amp; Leliana (Dragon Age), Female Lavellan/Cullen Rutherford</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Anchored to the Past [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2040350</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Advice Given</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Inner Circle gathered for one last dinner together the night before Cassandra was to depart for Val Royeaux. While she was fully committed to doing her duty to the Chantry, Cassandra lamented that she would rarely get to wear armor or swing a sword again. Briseis reminded her that she would always welcome her in Skyhold whenever she wanted to come and hit something. Despite the Seeker threatening to kill her (understandable to Briseis in retrospect) when they first met, they had become good friends and Briseis hated that she would no longer get to catch Cassandra reading her romance novels when she thought no one was looking.</p><p>Varric took the opportunity to announce that he would be leaving with the Seeker during their game of Wicked Grace, claiming that he had some networking to do in Val Royeaux. Briseis knew that while there may have likely been some truth to what Varric had said, he'd also developed a soft spot for Cassandra and wanted to protect her on the way to Orlais. When Cassandra attempted to protest, he shrugged at her and said, “you're just stuck with me, Seeker.” She yielded when he promised that he was working on the next edition of <em>Swords and Shields </em>and might give her a few spoilers on the trip. As the hour had begun to grow late, Cassandra began to say her goodbyes to everyone, but she lingered for a moment with Briseis after the two shared a friendly embrace.</p><p>“I will truly miss you, my friend,” Cassandra whispered to her. “You've seemed happier lately. Things are going well with you and Cullen?” she asked. Briseis nodded, glancing near the door where the Commander was talking to Varric, Thom and Iron Bull, who had a very drunk Sera slung over his shoulder.</p><p>“Yes,” Briseis replied turning her gaze back to Cassandra. “We're still taking our time, but I like the way things are going.”</p><p>Cassandra smiled. “I'm glad things are working for the two of you. You know how I love a good romance.” She leaned in close to the elf. “But you know, there is no real need to hesitate if you're sure of him.”</p><p>The Seeker walked away as heat rose in Briseis's cheeks when she realized what Cassandra was implying. She locked eyes with him and smiled shyly when she noticed that he had been watching her. It had only been a few weeks since she had begun her courtship with the Commander and she'd been gone for at least two of them. But since she returned from Val Royeaux, there had been several moments of temptation between them. He'd gone out riding with her a couple of times after she refused to keep Godric cooped up. She kept melting when he'd lean over her while they reviewed troop movements and her skin felt like it was on fire every time he touched her. She had been at war with herself for days now, wondering if she had waited long enough to take the next step with him or if it would be better to wait until after the ball. She was nervous about being with him; she had never been with a human before. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that he was what she wanted.</p><p>To her surprise, the Spymaster was standing on her balcony when she returned to her quarters, patiently waiting for her. Leliana stared her from the shadow, her eyes calculating as always as Briseis stepped out into the night air. “What can I do for you, Leliana?” she asked.</p><p>The Nightingale stood alongside her, a small scroll in her hand. “The information you asked for,” she explained, handing it over. “We have the remains of the one Corypheus used secured here in the vault, as you requested. You will also be pleased to know that your theory about the foci was also correct; they are scattered all across Thedas as you believed. But tracing the rest of them, if that's even possible, will take time and resources. But one may be hidden inside the Winter Palace. There was rumor of an old Elven vault hidden somewhere on the grounds, but no one has ever found it. If it is true, you may have a chance to find it during the ball. But I must ask: do you really think it wise to keep everyone in the dark about this?” Briseis looked up to see Leliana's eyes narrow and knew that she specifically meant Cullen. “I will respect your decision, but this could be easier if you let him in sooner rather than later.”</p><p>Briseis read the scroll. When she finished, she looked to the Spymaster with her brow furrowed. “I will tell him,” she replied. “But not yet. He's worried enough as it is since the ambush and I don't want to make him worry more.” She flexed the fingers of her left hand as the Anchor shimmered and the message curled back up in her hand. She looked back at Leliana. “I just don't want to say anything until we're sure.”</p><p>“Is this really about protecting Thedas? Or is it about drawing out Solas?” the Nightingale asked her flatly. “If he really wanted the orb Corypheus used, it's likely he'd come for this one assuming that he knows about it.”</p><p>Briseis flinched at the implied accusation, but her features immediately softened. She knew that Leliana meant no harm, it was simply part of her job to be concerned about whether or not the Inquisitor could possibly unleash hell on Thedas for her own selfish reasons. And whether Cullen could get hurt in the process. “I assure you that I am not trying to get <em>anyone's</em> attention,” the mage responded. “And for all we know, it may not even be there. The priority right now is getting through this ball and if one of the foci really is there, then yes, we will need to get to it first before someone causes another Breach. And just so we're clear, I have no intention of hurting Cullen either.” She sighed. “Please keep me informed of your findings in the meantime.” Leliana nodded to her and swiftly departed the Inquisitor's quarters.</p><p>The Spymaster made her way across the castle without making eye contact with anyone in the great hall. As she entered the door leading into the atrium below the rookery where she resided, Leliana paused and looked around at the frescoes that had been painted by the Inquisitor's ex-lover before his disappearance. Solas had recorded every single major decision that Briseis had made as Inquisitor, save one: falling in love with him.</p><p>Appearing as if on cue, Cullen emerged from the walkway, clearly headed towards the great hall. And her chambers. “Leliana, you've just left the Inquisitor?” Leliana wasn't able to school her face before he saw her concern.</p><p>The Spymaster gave him a long stare, making him feel as though he were being evaluated. While she usually did her best to maintain her distance, Leliana remembered how hard it had been to tell Briseis that her ex-lover could not be found. If Solas <b>was</b> somehow involved with what was happening in Thedas, she needed to be sure that the Inquisitor was strong enough to divorce her personal feelings for her ex-lover from what was at stake. And if Cullen could help her succeed in that endeavor, Leliana had every reason to help to guide the Inquisitor into his arms.</p><p>“Do you truly love her?” she asked him.</p><p>Cullen appeared taken aback the question. “Yes,” he said.</p><p>Leliana nodded. “Then be sure to keep her safe,” she advised him. “While her life may be at risk, much and more could also be at stake. We will need to be sharp at the Winter Palace.” She nodded towards the great hall and moved past him up to ascend the stairs to the rookery, disregarding the confused expression on his face.</p><p> </p><p>“She is still awake,” she called over her shoulder.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Advice Received</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Cullen checks on Briseis before turning in for the night.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>May not wanna read this at work</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cullen lingered outside the door to Briseis's bedroom for several moments. He knew the hour was quite late, but he could care less about the sets of eyes that may or may not have watched him opening the door to her quarters. It wasn't gossip that worried him now. Leliana's odd behavior when he ran into her in the atrium had left him as puzzled as he was when she'd said she needed to speak with the Inquisitor privately. He would stay close to Briseis between now and the ball, but he still worried about what may be coming. For tonight, he wanted just a few moments alone with her and he didn't intend to stay, knowing she wanted to see Cassandra off in the morning.</p><p>He was finally about to knock on her door when she opened it to his surprise. She had changed into a purple nightgown and a long black robe that was loosely tied about her waist. Her shiny onyx hair hung loosely at her back, but when he looked into her hazel-green eyes, the guilt held within betrayed that she was up to something. She wore that face every time she got caught for pulling pranks with Sera. “Inquisitor,” he said, cocking an eyebrow and folding his arms. “Might I ask where you are going?”</p><p>She felt the color rise to her cheeks. “It's not like I was about to go do something terrible. I was just sneaking down to the kitchens for some of those little tarts,” she replied. “I figured that the great hall would be a bit empty this late and while I have been behaving myself until the ball, for the most part, I still sneak desserts occasionally.”</p><p>He smirked at the guilty expression on her face. “I should tell Vivienne, but I think she'd find a way to blame me somehow,” he said. “I just wanted to check on you before I turn in for the night.”</p><p>She raised her eyebrows. “Is something wrong?” she queried as she let him into the room.</p><p>“Just making sure no one is hiding in your closet,” he replied, stepping inside. “And I know that you're sad that Cassandra and Varric are leaving tomorrow.”</p><p>“Yes, I am,” she admitted, brushing past him towards the balcony. “I'll miss them, but we'll see them again soon. We leave for Orlais next week and there are still some preparations to be made; that will hopefully make the time should pass quickly.”</p><p>“And what about Leliana?” he asked. “She said she needed to speak with you privately after we all had dinner. Is something wrong?”</p><p>“She was just updating me on something I've had her working on,” the Inquisitor replied vaguely. “The information we are searching for isn't concrete just yet, but it'll be brought up in council once it is. But at the moment, it isn't a pressing concern.”</p><p>He nodded and stared around the room. He noticed that she had put out most of her candles, but the ones near her bed were still lit. She stood leaning up against the doorway to her balcony and glanced over her shoulder. “Is that the only reason you're here?” Briseis asked.</p><p>“I-yes,” he said. He nodded towards her. “I don't want to keep you awake. I will meet you in the courtyard tomorrow morning to see Cassandra off. Good night, my lady.” He turned towards the door.</p><p>“Wait,” he heard her say behind him. He paused and turned back to her.</p><p>“Do you want to know what Cassandra was telling me when you saw me talking to her?” Briseis inquired. He watched as she stepped back from the balcony, noticing that her bare feet barely made a sound. When she turned to look into his eyes, he saw that look she always had when she was certain of her choices. “She told me 'there's no real need to hesitate if you're sure of him.' And she's right. There's no need to hesitate anymore.”</p><p>He stepped towards her. “What are you saying to me, Briseis?” he asked.</p><p>She took a small, but certain step towards him. “I'm saying that you don't have to leave,” she told him quietly.</p><p>He closed the space between them, somewhat hesitant to reach for her. She barely came up to his shoulder. “Are you sure about this?” he asked.</p><p>She reached a hand to the back of his neck and lifted herself onto her tiptoes, bringing her lips closer to his. “Yes,” she whispered softly as their lips met.</p><p>He returned the kiss, sliding his tongue into her mouth while moving a free hand to encircle her waist, causing her to slightly lose her balance. Cullen tightened his grip to steady her and pressed her flush against him when he abruptly spun her as he broke from her lips to move towards her ear. “I have you,” he said low husky voice said, making her shiver when his stubble brushed her cheek and his tongue move up towards the point of her ear.</p><p>“Not yet you don't,” Briseis teased as his mouth began moving back down towards hers. “You are entirely too overdressed for that.” He laughed against her lips. “I'd help you,” she said between kisses, “but I'm not familiar with how it all comes off yet.”</p><p>He kissed her deeply as he guided her fingers to the ties and clasps that removed his armor in pieces. He removed his boots and was down to his shirt and trousers when he hesitantly reached for the belt keeping Briseis's robe tied about her. “If I may?” he asked her. She gave a nod and Cullen slid the robe from her, causing one of the straps of her nightgown to fall from her shoulder, but she stopped him when he tried to replace it. “Leave it,” she instructed. “You're going to be taking it off very soon anyway,” she said, pulling him towards her.</p><p>Next she knew, Cullen had scooped Briseis into his arms and carried her towards the bed. They'd almost made it when he tripped and fell forward, tossing her onto the bed as she yelped and he landed on his knees on the floor before her, grateful for the cushioning from the plush rug that was next to her bed. She rolled onto her belly and burst out laughing when she saw the mortified look on the Commander's face before maneuvering onto her hand and knees, leaning forward on her hands to kiss him.</p><p>Cullen cradled her neck with his hand as he righted himself and climbed onto the bed with her. He gently lowered Briseis onto her back and climbed on top of her, resting on his right forearm as his leaned down to kiss her again and she quickly began tugging at his shirt while locking her left leg around his thigh. She'd gotten the shirt halfway over his head when he raised up to take it off. She instinctively reached for the muscled features of his chest and arms, exploring every inch of his flesh.</p><p>He let out a growl of arousal as her slender fingers delicately moved up his chest, up his neck and then found their way into his curly blond hair. Briseis was panting heavily as she stared longingly into his eyes. She gently grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled him towards her, tracing her tongue across the scar above his lip then pulling him into a kiss marked with urgency. He moaned into her as he lifted her right leg up to his hip and started pushing her gown upwards. Cullen moved his hands slowly up her thighs causing her body to shiver and he felt the tips of his fingers brush against the lace of her smallclothes. He wouldn't remove them until she wanted, but her hips rocked against against him, allowing her to feel his growing bulge while letting him move the nightgown over her waist. She arched her back to let him pull it free from her and then watched as he drank in her appearance. “You're also allowed to touch if you wish,” she advised him.</p><p>He <em>definitely</em> wished and she giggled when his stubble brushed along her collarbone as he lightly caressed the swell of her right breast. He raised his head to take in her face. “It tickles,” she said.</p><p>He grinned up at her. “Just wait,” he whispered. He began to kiss her down the length of her torso, her caramel skin glimmering from the dimly lit candles. Briseis giggled a little more when he lingered near her navel, but then gasped as his lips moved over her lacy smalls and he breathed in her decadent scent. He nuzzled at her through the thin material, sending shock waves through her body as she guided his hands to slip the fabric over her thighs. Cullen looked to her and when she nodded, he spread her legs slowly and buried his face between them, delighting in her tangy sweet taste. Her fingernails dug into the sheets as he teased at her with his tongue, but it was mere moments before she was arching her back and screaming in climax while his hands clutched her thighs. He pulled her closer to him as to not miss a drop of her sweetness.</p><p>Cullen looked up at her face to see her flushed with ecstasy as he released her thighs and kissed her on the navel, eliciting a moan from her as she sought to catch her breath. “Not so ticklish now, but so sweet,” he teased, gazing at her.</p><p>“And you're <em>still</em> overdressed,” Briseis protested as the mage began unlacing his breeches. Cullen moved back from her to pull them off and quickly climbed back on top of her. His brow knitted when he saw that she was suddenly nervous. “What's wrong?” he asked her.</p><p>“Um, it's just that I've never been with a human before,” she explained shyly.</p><p>“Briseis, we can stop right now if you want.” he said, drawing back from her until she caught his hand and pulled him back to her to look him in the eyes.</p><p>“I absolutely want to keep going,” she reassured him. “I'm just a little nervous. You'll go slow?” she asked.</p><p>“As slow as you want,” came his reply as he lined up with her entrance. He searched her face. “Are you sure?” he asked.</p><p>“Yes,” Briseis said, looking up at him as she slid her legs back around his thighs. A soft moan escaped her feeling his hardness slide across her slick flesh and he closed his mouth over hers as he began to slide into her.</p><p>Cullen paused as he entered her when the small gasp she made against his mouth threatened to immediately send him over the edge. He held her in place for several moments as she relaxed around him and then slowly withdrew when she shifted her hips, encouraging him to move. He thrust again slowly, with her accepting more of him, breaking away from her kiss only to take a breath. He maintained a slow pace in the beginning, getting lost in the feel of her and the small cries that began spilling from her. As he started to thrust deeper inside her, she began to rock her hips along with his rhythm, her moans gradually growing louder. Cullen was looking down at her, watching her reactions as he brushed a lock of her hair away from her face. Seeing her pleasure was feeding into his, making him more excited. “I'm not hurting you, am I?” he breathed.</p><p>Her eyes gazed into his as she shook her head and hooked her fingers into his curls while he kissed her eagerly as she moved her legs to lock around his hips. Her cries grew still louder the deeper he moved inside her and then he began to thrust slightly faster. She heard him start panting in her ear and she turned her head to steal another kiss from him.</p><p>As Briseis's cries of pleasure began to mount, she could feel her magic beginning to expand around them as the candlelight seemed to burn a little brighter and flicker more intensely, the Veil seeming to flow over her skin like waves of electricity. She noticed that they had flickered the same way before when she came. She could feel the sweat collecting on his chest as she crushed her torso into him and moved her fingers from his hair to his shoulders to grip tighter. “Maker's breath, Briseis,” he growled, moving faster as her hips continued to rock into him. He hooked one of his arms behind her thigh and stroked at her core between them with his thumb of his other hand as they both neared the climax. She then dug her fingers into his shoulders, the room brightening while she screamed as he sent her body into waves of bliss.</p><p>Not a second later, his body shook as he roared his release in her ear and then came to rest on top of her, gasping for breath. Both seemed to be struggling for air as he slowly withdrew from her, reveling in how her walls quivered around him as he did so, to roll over onto his back. She turned towards him and he began to stroke her lower back lazily as he swallowed several deep breaths.</p><p>“Now you've had me,” she said. He looked over at her and both laughed.</p><p>“Yes, I have,” he replied looking down at her seriously. Cullen ran his fingers through her hair while he kissed her forehead. She let her left hand rest against his torso, flexing her fingers as the Anchor glimmered. “And I would have no one else,” he continued. “Was that you making the candles react that way? I felt your magic.”</p><p>She nodded sheepishly and frowned. “I know you have your concerns about magic, and yes that was me,” Briseis rolled to sit near the edge of the bed, wrapping herself in a free corner of her sheet and looked out into the darkness of her balcony. “I hope that doesn't frighten you.”</p><p>“What? No! No, no, no, no,” he answered, quickly rising up to sit next to her and turning her head so that he could look into her face. “Your magic doesn't scare me, Briseis. I figured it may have been you the second time it happened. And if that's the reaction, I take it that means I'm doing a good job, yes?” he smiled at her.</p><p>She grinned back at him and leaned close to his face. “Iron Bull told me that Dorian set their curtains on fire once,” she told him, “but then, Dorian is very flashy with his magic.”</p><p>His chest shook with laughter. “Dorian's flashy with everything, but he's a good man and he cares a lot about you. In fact, he's the reason why I came to play chess with you that night.” She looked at him, confused. “After Cole mentioned that you heard me talking in my sleep, Dorian told me that I had a chance with you,” he clarified. “Cole helped me by leaving my chess set on the desk. He's going to be glad to know it worked.”</p><p>She nodded and shrugged her shoulders. “Well I guess I can't be <em>too</em> mad at them if everything they did brought us together,” she said. “But I think we should try to get some sleep so we can see Cassandra off in the morning.”</p><p>He looked at her curiously. “You want me to stay with you tonight?” he asked.</p><p>“Of course. And it isn't like you haven't slept here before,” she teased. “Seriously, I'm not the type to just use someone and kick them out, Cullen.” She smiled, but then gave him a smoldering look. “Unless of course, you would prefer to leave my warm, fluffy, and way too large bed?”</p><p>“Absolutely not,” he said. “But there will be talk.”</p><p>“There was talk after the last time you slept here,” she replied, shrugging. “At least this time it will have some credibility. And this could help to make dodging the nobles easier for you when we get to Halamshiral.” He groaned at that as they burrowed between the soft sheets of her bed with him holding her to himself and kissing her, sending more shivers down her spine as he ran his fingers through her dark hair.</p><p>“But Cassandra isn't leaving until mid-morning,” he replied, looking down at her. “We'll have plenty of time for sleep, but not yet. We aren't finished tonight. Maker, but I want you.” He pulled her on top of him, where she could feel him hardened against her again and brought her lips to his passionately as she extinguished the candles with a wave of her hand.</p><p>Their yearning for each other awakened them from dozing together thrice more, but the sun was just beginning to rise over her balcony before they were fully exhausted. He stroked her back as she lay with her head and her left hand on his chest while they finally drifted to sleep.</p><p>“I love you, Briseis,” he said, after lying silently next to her for a few moments. “More than everything.”</p><p>She pulled herself closer to him. “<em>Ar lath ma</em>, Cullen,” she replied as she drifted to sleep.</p><p> </p><p>It was Dorian, much to Briseis's relief, that woke them up less than an hour before Cassandra and the Varric were to leave the next morning. Even more to Cullen's relief that he'd had the sense to knock this time. When Briseis opened the door, the Tevinter took one look at her and knew what had happened without her having to say a word. He beamed at her and just said, “I'll buy you as much time as I can, but I want <b>all</b> the details later,” before spinning on his heel and rushing back to the great hall. She scrambled to help Cullen get dressed between frequent kisses and an instance that had her straddling his waist with her back against the door, but he managed to leave her chamber looking somewhat presentable. Briseis rushed to get dressed and arrived to the courtyard quickly to see her friends off, whispering to the soon-to-be Divine that her advice the night before had been well-received, much to Cassandra's delight.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Happy New Year everyone! Hows about some smutty goodness?</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I opted to put a pin the one-shot I was working on to use for something later in this series, but things are about to get interesting.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>